


Hellbound

by yanshouldntbehere



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Gen, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29658648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yanshouldntbehere/pseuds/yanshouldntbehere
Summary: Is he human? Debatable. Is he the devil? Well, he’s been brought to his knees, and by none other than a fool. That’s what wise men call you, right? The one who falls in love. Here’s the irony: you can confidently call the world’s greatest detective a fool, too.
Relationships: L (Death Note)/Original Character(s), L (Death Note)/Reader, L (Death Note)/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. Prologue

December 13, 2003

As far as you're concerned, the race against Death ended ages ago. He was no good—he couldn’t even provide you a proper competition. And without a competition, you had no adrenaline running through you. But it’s a shame, really. If only Death was faster.

"Let me through—that's my brother!"

"Stop, you're headed right into the fire!"

You dash past the horde of emergency responders, your sleeve pressed against your mouth to block out the ashes. Why won’t the onlookers get out of your way? This isn’t any of their business!

"Who's kid was it?" A woman wails into her handkerchief. 

Police tape brushes your head as you duck underneath it. How desperately you wish to breathe free of the burning building. You just about accept the promise of suffocation as you draw nearer. Even the authorities pace around as the humidity becomes unbearable. 

"The bastard got away again. But good news is his bomb was unsuccessful.”

"Then what killed all these prisoners? They dropped dead before the fire began!"

"Heart attacks," answers a young officer.

Five men walk to and from the fire, each one carrying a body over their backs. Through the heads and feet of police, the body of a boy can be made out. He's still wearing that broken watch Mother gave him.

"What of the boy? Another one of Kira's victims, huh?"

"No...they say it was suicide."

"Where is he? Haru!" You cry out over the drowning sirens. A panting man, his identity virtually unrecognizable, grabs your arm before you can bolt away. Hurriedly, you shove your badge into his face. 

"I'm with the FBI and am a relative of one of the victims. Please, take your hand off me!"

But his expression could halt a storm. Why does he stare at you like you're some pitiful child to comfort?

"I'm sorry for your loss," the man gasps.

No, he can't be...

"HARU!"

The wind blows around like icy tendrils, forcing you backwards with every breath. Then the worst sight imaginable takes form right in front of you.

The clouds are reflected in his lifeless eyes. Glossed over by an entity he could not outrun. You stretch out to hold his hand but immediately draw back as if he'd stung you. Since when could bodies get so cold...it's like he's been holed up in an ice box for hours.

"Yue..."

If only you could rip the voice out of him. Pathetic. He has nothing to pity you for.

"G-Get the ambulance," you demand through heavy breaths. Are you breathing for both of us, Haru? Come on, he can't leave all the hard work for only one of us.

"They've already determined the time of death," he imparts. "It must’ve happened along with the other criminals at the station. But...his death was different."

The man tries to pull you away but there's no way in hell you're leaving his side. Haru, it's alright. You're both just stuck in one of his nightmares again. Can he hear the crows right now? They're sat up in those yellow trees that only look pretty in autumn. He remembers those, right? You two would slip past Mom and Dad's room in October to watch the leaves fall. 

"Don't leave me," you plead in a whisper. "Can't you hear me?"

It's silly how desperately you expected an answer. As if those chapped lips would open and expound some deadpanned response. 

"I know it's me who was supposed to be here. Why didn't you come with me when I asked?" You stroke the blue veins painted so clearly on his wrist. "Is there a reason that you stayed?"

"Paramedics told me it was suicide."

Grief quickly turns into anger as the words leave his mouth. Your brother crawled through hell's residence and made it out alive. Why would he take his own life now? Much less by a heart attack? There is only one monster to blame for all this.

"That's a false claim." You clash gazes with the man and wonder how his face slipped your memory. Not only is he the chief of police, but he is also your and Haru's cousin. So he of all people should understand the truth of this situation!

"My brother was murdered just like those prisoners. Don't lie to yourself. You can't disrespect Haru's death like that!"

Sota's nostrils flare like a bull. "And who on earth would've wanted to kill him, huh?"

You reel back as if he just slapped you. The painful sting resides on the heart in place of your cheek.

"Kira did this!" You spin around to face all the cop cars and bystanders. Already, the first responders have contained the fire and distributed the criminal's bodies outside of the police station.

Civilians look out on you like you're a movie to gain interest from. How appalling can it be? Their frightened eyes take in the smoked corpses lying on the concrete. 

”Haru was a kid that had nothing to do with this,” you grit your teeth. “He deserved to go to college and find a career, not be burned up in flames! Kira claims to be justice and yet can’t even distinguish true evil from the innocent.”

"Yue, careful of what you say in public," Sota cautions. "Are you still alright for going to Japan? We can find another agent—"

You tear your eyes off of their slack faces. None of them will be able to look you in the eye.

"No, I'm more determined than ever to catch this bastard. Kira..." The name tastes horrid, much like the ashes falling around you. “Whether it be with a bullet or my bare hands, I will show you the same mercy you showed my brother.”

2-23-21


	2. Those Shadows Have a Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revenge, grief, and desperation drive you to a dumpy old inn located in Tokyo. As the sole survivor of the twelve FBI agents sent to Japan, it is your duty to bring justice for the dead.

December 28, 2003

_"This morning, we televise to you the death of twelve FBI agents sent to Japan. One can only assume that Kira was the cause of all these murders. The police are still unresponsive to our questions on this matter, and rightfully so."_

Depending on a person's interest, the same news is being broadcast into every home. It's like a game of connect-the-dots. The world's attention is focused on a single man, the murderer of hundreds, soon to be thousands.

The wind picks up your soft humming in the rumble and bustle of traffic below. You sit on the metal fire escape, just about fifty feet in the air. An untraceable phone balances on your right ear.

" _Hello, you've reached the Dragon Inn. My name is Ren, how may I be of service to you today?"_

_Click_. The window budges an inch, nearly causing your hand to slip. Luckily, the nervous sweat hasn't begun, which saves your ass from tumbling down the iron stairway. You twirl around an old lockpick before pocketing it. God, hotel security is a joke nowadays.

"Hi, yeah, I have a complaint about your security here.” You survey the red-brick building before continuing. “I was staying here the other night when I noticed my window was broken into. I tried contacting your services but nobody picked up. Let's see, what room was it again?"

A series of wordless numbers form on your tongue before the answer pops into mind.

"Right, it was room 217! Slipped my memory for a second."

" _Oh my, that's terrible! I'll report this to the manager right away and have security check the room this instant."_

What a pity that won't happen. As long as the three men still occupy the room, hotel management can't get inside. 

_"Thank you for informing us," the hotel clerk adds._

"Sure thing."

What’s the irony of you reporting your own crime? Anyways, they’ll have to wait until business is done. Inside the very walls you wait upon, voices can be heard shouting.

”What was that? Sayu is where now...? I-impossible!”

A second, much louder voice joins the cacophony.

”Yes, this is Aizawa. What, I don’t believe this! Chief, we gotta get going!”

Through the crack in the window, you catch a whiff of mold and the smell of a crappy air conditioner. Damn, it’s near unbelievable that they’d choose such a dump for their headquarters. But that makes breaking into it much easier for you.

“I-I’m coming with you too. Chief, Aizawa, what’s happened? Why are your daughters in the emergency room?” A third voice enters the discussion. He sounds so young and clueless.

”I’m not sure but we need to get there right away.”

A lovely reflection of tonight's sunset appears on the window. The sky is blushing, or maybe overheating. It’s like an untouchable fire that humans have no hope of dousing. That’s how your brother used to describe it anyways.

Inside the hotel room is quiet, meaning the three officers are long gone. Off to visit two hospital patients that weren’t even checked in? It’s all thanks to a friend of yours. Convincing him to distract the officers with a fake scenario was much easier than devising your break-in plan. Nevertheless, this should go smoothly.

Loud creaks emit from the windowsill as you climb over it and into the empty space. The room could do with more lighting, not just this weak lamp in the corner, but it’s crucial that you leave the room as you found it. But that’s not all that lies in the corner. What are the chances that you’d find the one thing you came for in a matter of seconds? Luck must be your friend today, unlike several times before.

”Why would you leave the Kira files lying around so vulnerably?” You mutter, tiptoeing over to the main computer. A USB sits ready in the palm of your hand, waiting to ingest all the information you require.

With the knowledge the Kira task force has collected, you’ll be several steps ahead of your goal. Catching the criminal who murdered your brother is one thing, but bringing justice and taking revenge is a temptation you cannot take your mind off of. Not to mention that Kira killed the eleven FBI agents who came with you to Japan.

Your hand squeezes around the USB drive. All of you were supposed to come home together, victory running through your blood. “Kira’s been caught!” Isn’t that what you all would’ve cheered? You’re not supposed to be the last one standing with the blood of your friends run cold into the dirt. Twelve agents chasing around a ghost, maybe even a god. And if it is a god, why did he spare...

You?

“Don’t screw this up, please...” you beg quietly. So many of the dead are counting on you to bring justice to their murders. 

A small ping signals the end of the transfer. The flash drives gets tucked into the same pocket as your FBI badge. Just once more, you glance over the room to check that no one’s present. But that’s silly, isn’t it? If someone were here, certainly they would’ve stopped you by now.

Now to lock the window of this poorly secured room—also known as the window you broke into. Right as you finish that, you step over to the door leading out into the hallway. If your calculations are correct, hotel staff should be on their way in a matter of minutes. And the trio of idiots who fell for your distraction? They should be heading back in fifteen. 

You reach for the door handle with a faint smile. The door hardly opens an inch before a hand slams it closed. 

“What the—?”

It appeared out of nowhere and right above your head, too. Pale fingers splay out onto the wood just centimeters away from your nose. If you had to make a guess, the hand belongs to a man of greater height. Damn it. He must’ve been lurking in the shadows, waiting to prance on you until the files you stole sat safely in your pocket. 

But wait—it makes no sense! There were only three police officers using up this hotel space. Not a fourth. So if that’s the case...then who the hell has you cornered right now?

“Do you mind?” The door gently presses against your forehead as you ease away from the stranger. 

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he scoffs. “You hold important documents that, if exposed to the public, could set my investigation back by two weeks.”

”Then learn to work faster. I’m in a bit of a hurry here.”

”How about this: you learn to collect your own information instead of stealing it from me.” 

A gasp stifles down his throat. Even without turning around, you know his eyes are piercing through you.

”I know you, don’t I?” His tone softens, turning more inquisitive than interrogative.

”I’d say no, then again I can’t see your face.” You peer pointedly at the floor where it’s possible to catch a glimpse of his bare feet.

”Your face has been somewhere. I’ve seen it.”

Well, your face is certainly all up in the door, but now doesn’t seem the best time to bring up that predicament.

”Yue Kaneko.”

That name brings your heart to a stop. To hell with courtesy. Your name isn’t supposed to be given to anyone outside of your trust. Considering your position, this man isn’t very trustworthy to begin with.

”This is incredible.” His words send shivers down your spine—your so exposed spine that he hovers over. “Kira couldn’t kill you! One FBI agent amongst the twelve that were sent here. This can only mean that ‘Yue Kaneko’, the name you claim to go by, is just an alias.”

Wrong. The fact that you can say one word and ruin his joy run is almost tempting. Doubtless, though, you must get out of this with the Kira files. Provoking him might lessen those chances. 

“Yet I still feel like I’m missing something here,” he mumbles.

”Listen, if you are L, then why don’t you let me go? Regardless the outcome, I’ll be working under you. Besides, what’s the harm if I see your face? I promise you I’ve seen—and tolerated—plenty of ugly men in the past,” you joke. “My father being one of them.”

Silence seems to be his only answer. It’s getting to the point where your ankles can’t bare to be in the same position. If you stay crouched any longer, your face might just be found pressed into the carpet. 

“I don’t like the stunt you pulled, Kaneko. But the effort is admirable, even I can say that. What I’m wondering is why you decided to break into my headquarters.” His whisper gets louder as the distance between you two shrinks. “Why not request to be on the task force? It’s not like you wouldn’t be working under me either way, right?”

His confidence is infuriating and blatantly pushed to the front of his personality. 

“What reason could I have given you to trust me?” You mutter back. The USB grows warm in your pocket. He’s getting dangerously close to it. “One of twelve agents survives an attack from Kira. The suspicions raised on me would be through the roof.”

”Then why do you so desperately want to catch Kira?” the man presses. 

Fire flickers around the doorknob. It licks metal and spreads across wood like it exists for nothing but the flame. Even through breaths, you can hear where his was lacking. And he lay there on the concrete with his arms tucked neatly into his sides. On his own, Haru would never rest so peacefully. 

“Kira killed the one person I cared for,” your voice grows numb, as does your heart. “Not only was he innocent, but also a kid. This murderer has to pay for what he took from me and countless others.”

The muscles in his hand relax by a degree. If he gets nudged into a false sense of security...but that would never work. This is L himself, or so you presume. Working around his defenses will be tricky. 

“Then it’s settled,” he sighs. “I’m not letting you onto the task force.”

”What?!” 

Some decent personal space would be much appreciated. Especially when you want nothing more than to slap him. 

“Revenge and anger are what fuel your fight! What happens when you let your emotions get the best of you? And what about—forgive me.”

Tranquility replaces the ferocity in his words. It’s interesting that even as the moment got to him, he was calm as a body of still water. 

“We can’t let personal feelings get in the way,” he affirms. 

It happens again. A slight twitch of the hand. Little by little, he’s letting his guard down. 

The nerves in your neck scream at you to stop turning back. 

“The task force would’ve never held a place for me, that’s why I didn’t try. Although I see why you could’ve wanted me to try and weave my way in, the effort would’ve been useless. There’s no hope in deceiving the deceiver, isn’t that true? But you see me right now and I’ll place a good bet that you were able to gauge my skill set and trustworthiness. Please let me work with you on this case! I want nothing more than to help see to Kira’s defeat.”

Cold lips brush past your ear, murmuring so softly that it’s barely audible.

”Then you should’ve tried.”

Is it so bad that a few words caught your heart? Just a trap, but it came with heavy weights. 

Furious, you swing around and jab an elbow into his side. Ribs, roughly centered one inch below the sternum, just how Haru taught you. It’s a handy trick that leaves L coughing. Air rattles through his mouth as he struggles for breath.

Now it wouldn’t be noticeable to a casual spectator, but this is a pivotal moment. You can either face the door, your only escape route at this point, or face L himself. Wouldn’t it be interesting to defy his rules and get a peek at the great detective’s identity?

But your actions don’t play along with your thoughts. The door swings open and the corridor awaits you, all without turning around to see the detective. 

Then his voice coughs out.

“Y...you missed.”

Heart racing, you look over your shoulder to the figure shrouded in shadows. He’s already backed into an area of light that hides his face. Clever. 

“Maybe it was intentional,” you call out. “It’d be a shame to leave the world’s greatest detective with a bruised rib. Especially upon first meeting.”

”No.”

And the closest you ever get to seeing his face is the slight grin on his lips. 

“You should’ve gone for the arm.” He waves around an FBI badge. The very same that was tucked into your pocket.

”Shit-!” Your hand flies to check for it, but it’s just a move made by a speechless dummy. The USB is still there, but that’s not what he wanted. For some God-known reason, he wanted your true name. The one Kira didn’t know. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you”—L glances over the badge—“Yosuke Hughes.”


End file.
